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O’Rielly Criticizes Response to 911 Proposals

April 20, 2017–FCC Commissioner Mike O’Rielly today criticized the response of some groups to several proposals he has advanced for addressing states that divert 911 surcharges for other purposes. “I’m still digesting some of the comments from outside groups who haven’t exactly agreed with my solutions,” he told reporters at a news conference after today’s FCC meeting. “I’m kind of disappointed that they have been unwilling to propose anything themselves. They’ve accepted the fate that … diversion can go on, and it’s just the way it goes. That’s not … acceptable to me.”

Mr. O’Rielly has offered three non-mutually exclusive ideas to stop states from diverting 911 fees to other purposes: an FCC prohibition on the practices with respect to interstate services, a billing-and-collection prohibition on carriers to bar them from remitting the fees to states that divert 911 fees, and a bar on individuals from diverting states serving on FCC advisory committees (TR Daily, March 1).